AN HONEST GUIDE TO DEANS: BEWARE FOR MOST
I was a loyal customer and Dean's Club member, using most of their services for over five years. My most recent interaction was so unethical that it pushed me to investigate them. What I found was a pattern of unethical practices and inflated pricing. This review aims to warn others.
1. WHY THE POSITIVE REVIEWS?
If you have an emergency--a burst pipe or dead furnace issue in the winter--they will dispatch a technician promptly. When you're in a bind, that kind of service is valuable, and many people, myself included, have left glowing reviews based on those quick fixes. Their techs generally do quality work and use above-average materials.
However, convenience comes at a cost. You will pay far more than you would with other companies, and while some technicians are excellent, there are bad apples among them and management doesn't care.
I read one comment on Facebook that they were offered money to remove a negative Google review. This puts much of their reputation in question.
2. EXORBITANT PRICES
Dean's is expensive. My research shows that their pricing can be 50% to 300% higher than competitors. A tech once told me that up to 40% of their charges go toward advertising. Big companies with a large staff, flashy uniforms, and a marketing budget pass those expenses onto the customer.
Their sales strategy is clever: they inflate prices dramatically, but if you push back, they'll offer a "discount," making you feel like you got a good deal. However, even after negotiating, you're still paying far more than what other companies would charge for the same service. Many reviews mention haggling with Dean's and having the price drop by thousands of dollars after involving a manager. This is not a one-off occurrence, and the practice is designed to make customers think they're getting a special deal when in reality, they're still overpaying.
3. UNETHICAL & MANIPULATIVE TACTICS
I recently had my complimentary Dean's furnace inspection by Jeff B. Jeff claimed my heat exchanger might be cracked, potentially leaking carbon monoxide and endangering my family. He provided pictures and videos to back up his claims, but when I asked him to measure the carbon monoxide levels, he said he couldn't. That was a lie and confirmed by another company the next day (safe levels).
Jeff also pointed out a gas leak in a pipe connected to my water heater, stating he had to shut off my gas and "red tagged" me. Conveniently, he then offered to replace the entire system the next day--for 20k. When I expressed hesitation and said I needed to do research, Jeff discouraged me from looking online, stating I wouldn't know what to search for.
Eventually, he lowered the price to 18k. The pressure to make a decision was intense, and I can't imagine how many cave into this guy's methods. He even mocked me for sharing that I needed to talk to my wife before I could make a decision. After he left I started making calls and researched for days. I discovered I was being manipulated.
4. DEFLECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE
I contacted the company. Initially, they were friendly and apologetic. I'm ashamed to admit it that they almost bought me off. They offered me a steep discount for my troubles and I almost took it and even tried to get them to go lower, trying to make the most out of a terrible situation. I realized this was wrong so I shared with them other reviews I discovered that showed Jeff and others had pulled this same stunt over the years. I went back and forth with the service manager, Eddie, and Instead of addressing that this is a systemic problem, he merely directed my attention to the 5-star reviews that they have. He even characterized Jeff as merely pushy.
Conclusion
If you value convenience and don't mind overpaying (like a lot), Dean's might still be an option for you. But for the rest of us, look for someone who doesn't put all their costs into marketing. See screenshots to see that I am not alone. read more